A ’66 GT40 and 5 Other Rare Ford Icons are Up for Sale

It might be a little too early to get excited about anything in the far-off month of August, but six legendary Ford performance cars about to pique your interest, and then some.
Every year, the world’s rarest and most valuable classic cars flood onto California’s sunbaked coastline in August for the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance—an event that has become known worldwide as the premier celebration of the automobile.
It’s a must-see for automotive window shoppers, as is RM Sotheby’s accompanying auction for those actually interested in buying. This year, the auction house will sell-off six rarified Ford and Shelby vehicles from enthusiast and dealership owner Jim Click’s esteemed collection. The highlight? This jaw-dropping 1966 Ford GT40 Mark I, which could sell for upwards of $4.25 million.
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According to the auction house, the ’66 Ford GT40 (chassis P/1061) was one of just 31 Mark I road cars ever built, and one of only seven that were retained by Ford for promotional use. Over the years, the hallowed car has been showcased at numerous events and racing venues, but it’s also been campaigned on-track as well, attacking the Laguna Seca, Riverside, and Palm Springs road courses.
Further, while some liveries are undoubtedly more famous, such as the iconic Gulf Racing colors, few look as sinister as this orange and black design.
Click’s collection also includes one of the most successful ‘Competition Cobras’—this 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, CSX 2473. It was sold new to a Shelby employee but was later passed on to SCCA racer Don Roberts, who achieved 14 first-place finishes in the car in the span of two years. He would later go on to become a B-production Class National Champion in the car, and amazingly not once has it ever failed to finish a race.
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While the rare Ford GT40 and CSX 2473 are the undisputed headliners of the auction, they’re far from the only show stoppers. Click is also selling off a pair of Ford Mustang Boss 302 Trans Am cars—a blue '69 Boss 302, and a vibrant orange '70 model—as well as another ’64 Shelby 289 Cobra and a ’66 Shelby GT350.
The ’69 Boss 302 Trans Am was originally a Shelby team race car, and was campaigned by the likes of Dan Gurney, Pete Revson, George Follmer and A.J. Foyt. The orange 1970 Boss 302 was also raced by an icon—legendary sports car driver Peter Gregg—who finished third in the 1971 Trans Am season behind the wheel of that car.

“It’s time for me to let someone else enjoy the cars like I have,” says Click. “They are fantastic cars. Whoever ends up owning them, you’re in for a truly exciting ride.”
The two-day event kicks off on August 19th.
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Photo Credit: Patrick Ernzen, RM Sotheby's